Kawerau’s Mountain View Rest Home is set for a major heating and emergency preparedness upgrade, after securing more than $150,000 from Trust Horizon.
The $150,812 grant will fund heat pumps across five wings of the 54-bed facility, as well as an electrical upgrade that will allow a generator to be connected during power outages.
The first $71,000 has already allowed Mountain View to purchase 40 heat pumps and complete the electrical work, with the remainder funding their installation.
Mountain View Chair of the Board Gail Dobbin said replacing the rest home’s ageing heating system is an important investment in residents’ comfort, health and wellbeing.
“The current radiators are getting very old, and some have begun to leak,” she said.
“The heat pumps will give us much more reliable heating, and being able to control the temperature in individual rooms will make a huge difference in summer as well as winter.”
The upgrade is also expected to significantly cut the facility’s energy costs.
Mountain View currently relies on gas for water and room heating, alongside electric water heaters, but estimates the changes could eventually reduce its energy bill by around 50 per cent.
The generator connection will provide an added layer of resilience, ensuring the facility is better prepared for power outages.
Trust Horizon Trustee Edwina O’Brien said the investment recognises the importance of maintaining the infrastructure behind essential community services.
“Mountain View is an important part of the Kawerau community, providing a home and high-quality care for older people in the region,” she said.
“This project will make a practical difference to residents and staff, from more consistent and controllable heating through to greater resilience in the event of a power outage.”
Mountain View was established in 1989 by the Kawerau Social Services Trust, initially operating from the town’s former hospital maternity home.
It has since grown from a 12-bed rest home into a 54-bed facility, with 18 retirement village units and 27 pensioner flats also on the site.
Demand remains high, with the facility regularly operating at or near full capacity.
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